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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25735846">I'll Be Right Beside You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacesquidlings/pseuds/spacesquidlings'>spacesquidlings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You Are My Sunshine [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystic Messenger (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 01:57:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,585</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25735846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacesquidlings/pseuds/spacesquidlings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was perhaps one of the worst day of MC’s life, a cherished relationship shattering before her like glass. She wanted to go home, she wanted to hide. But her husband found her first.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>V | Kim Jihyun &amp; Main Character, V | Kim Jihyun &amp; Reader, V | Kim Jihyun/Main Character, V | Kim Jihyun/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>You Are My Sunshine [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'll Be Right Beside You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>MC pressed her face against the cool wood of the door, biting down on her bottom lip to stop herself from crying. Her eyes burned and she couldn’t stop swallowing, trying to hold back the sob that was building in her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned the knob slowly, her entire body feeling heavy. She was tired. So horribly tired. And her eyes burned so terribly. She couldn’t seem to make them stop, couldn’t seem to hold back the tears that felt like fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face felt hot and sticky, and she wiped at it with the back of her arm, breathing deeply as she tried to calm herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She just had to make it through the house to the bathroom. She just had to pretend she wanted to be alone and she wouldn’t break down in tears in front of her fiancé.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the moment she walked into the entrance and the door clicked shut behind her all her plans to hide away in the dark until her tears dried up dissolved from her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“MC?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun had barely said her name before the tears started streaming out freely, and she nearly fell to the carpeted floor as he sprinted down the hall towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“<em>MC</em></span>
  <em>
    <span>?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffled, pressing her hands against her face as she fell back against the door, stifling a sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It went so bad,” she cried, tasting the salt from her own tears. “Jihyun, it went so </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt hands at her waist and peaked up to see him standing before her, pulling her to her feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come and sit down,” he said softly. “Tell me what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, her bottom lip quivering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, it’s okay, love,” he breathed, pulling her close as he guided her to the living room, to the plush couches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t do anything but blubber out a reply that was unintelligible even to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat down next to her, holding out his arms, and she crawled into his lap, pressing her tear-stained face against his grey t-shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” he breathed, rubbing small circles against her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She choked out a sob, pressing her face fully against his shirt, wishing it would swallow her whole. Wishing she could vanish from the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He murmured to her softly as she cried against his chest, breathing in the scent of his shirt, of the soap he always used, the heady smell of his cologne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sobbed unintelligibly, her body shaking hard from the tears. She found herself gasping, her stomach cramping as her cries wracked through her body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It hurt. It hurt so much. She couldn’t breath. There was no oxygen coming into her lungs, she was choking on her own sorrow. All she could taste was salt and fire and misery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said, a little more firmly. He reached up, pulling away enough to cup her damp cheek. “Hey. I need you to breathe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t feel air in her lungs, she couldn’t take in a breath without another sob tearing through her like a storm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“MC, please,” he said, softer this time. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Breathe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She twisted her fingers against the material of his shirt, her lips trembling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How was she to breathe? How was it possible for her to breathe when she was drowning? When her world was cracking apart? When she was losing someone that had always been so dear, someone she had held close to her heart for so long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed his forehead against hers, breathing in slowly, then out. In, then out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For me, MC,” he said. “Breathe for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She choked on a sob, but forced herself to take a shuddering breath, his heart pulsing against her hands as she twisted them against his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” he said, his voice soft. “Good, you’re doing wonderful, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sob forced its way from her throat again and her body shook, but she tried to breathe past it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, love,” he said again. “You’re going to be alright. It’s going to be alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If anyone else had said it, she wouldn’t have believed them. She probably would have railed against them for saying something so inconsequential when it felt like her world was collapsing in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when Jihyun said it she believed him. When he breathed in that calm, gentle voice, the same one that murmured to her when she fell asleep every night, she knew it couldn’t be anything other than truth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat there for a long, long while, her tears slowly beginning to dry up as her breaths evened out, until she was left sniffling quietly, Jihyun humming as he rocked her in his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you feeling any better?” He asked, brushing her hair back from her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffed, nodding. Her eyes felt swollen and her throat felt raw. And her entire body felt heavy, a dull ache rippling through her belly from her sobs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she was feeling better, at least. Here in Jihyun’s arms she was feeling better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to tell me what happened?” He asked, holding her gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, wiping at her cheeks with her sleeve. Her face felt tight, sticky, and she had the sudden urge to stand under steaming water for an eternity. To wash away the sadness and melancholy still clinging to her skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she wanted to talk about what happened, too. To release the grief and hurt that still lurked in her bones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she started from the beginning. From the start of the fight, when she’d been hurt and everything had started to unravel. The drawn out silence when her heart had ached and her friend had done nothing to bridge the gap. Trying to heal the gaping wound in their friendship only for her friend to act like nothing had happened, like everything was fine. The inevitable fallout, when everything that had hurt MC exploded in her fractured heart and she’d wanted to scream. Her friend choosing </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span> to tell MC about her own issues. To critique her behaviour and dismiss her hurts </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then the final fight. The one that had made MC realize that this friendship could not go on. When her friend told her how she was and wasn’t allowed to talk during the conversation. When she’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>laughed</span>
  </em>
  <span> as MC had explained how she felt. When her friend had insulted her and pointed out a thousand flaws and refused to find a solution for them both. Telling her outright that her issues were meaningless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her legs had shook so badly she’d thought she wouldn’t be able to stand. Wouldn’t be able to make it back to the house. Her eyes had burned the entire walk home, old thoughts and shadows flooding her mind that she had thought she’d banished for good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An aching emptiness in her chest where her friend had torn away her heart. The sound of static the only thing in her mind, her friend’s cold laughter echoing in her ears when she’d tried to say she was hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun sat listening to it all, rubbing circles against her back as she spoke, pressing kisses to her brow whenever her voice began to crack and wobble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt so tired when she was finally through with her story. When those last words had passed from her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sagged against his chest, staring at a blanket that had been thrown across the arm of the couch. She felt empty, like there was nothing left inside of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun kissed the top of her head, his arms around her waist growing tighter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry she’s hurt you, love,” he said, his words tangling through her hair. “There is so much love in your heart. There is so much kindness and warmth. You deserve better than her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC clung to him tighter, tucking her head beneath his chin. “But what if she’s right? What if-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun had never been aggressive or harsh, not ever. Even in moments of panic and peril, he’d always retained some form of calmness. Remained gentle, at least with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now he grabbed her face, wrenching it towards him so she was staring up at him, his turquoise eyes blazing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What she said was </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said, and his voice was filled with quiet fury. “How she has treated you is </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You are kind and you are warm and you have tried </span>
  <em>
    <span>so hard</span>
  </em>
  <span> to make her happy. She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC’s lip began to tremble again as she stared up at him, as she held his burning gaze. His brows drew low and he leaned a little closer. His thumb stroked the side of her face, his other hand moving to brush her hair back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>light</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You are a thousand stars, each more brilliant than the ones in our sky. You are filled with brilliant, undying, unyielding love, and she doesn’t deserve any of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed his forehead against hers. “She is wrong, love. She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC thought she might cry again. Her eyes burned as she closed them, her lip quivering. She tried to stifle a sob, but it did no good, not as it still managed to escape from her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he said gently, his lips brushing against her brow, her cheeks, the corners of her lips. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head, her breath shuddering out of her. “No, no, I just…” She trailed off, curling back against his chest. “It just hurts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” he said, kissing her brow again. “Just breathe, my love. Breathe, you’re going to be okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, clutching at his shirt again. “I just… Loved her so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And she doesn’t even care that I’m hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her again. “She doesn’t deserve your love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat like that for another long, long time, and MC could feel her eyes growing heavy as time passed. Sleep dragging its claws through her mind, trying to pull her away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she still ached, and all that sorrow and pain had been replaced by a dull emptiness that made her cold, so cold that she was terrified of falling asleep. Of the unbearable emptiness she knew she would wake up to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun seemed to sense her unease, peppering her face with kisses until she giggled, holding her tightly against his chest as his lips found their way along her jaw, down her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he breathed. “You are my light, my sunshine, my angel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snorted at the dorky words, but felt a sliver of warmth creep into her heart, casting away some of that cold.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you so much,” he said again, punctuating it with a kiss above where her pulse thrummed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her again before pulling away. “Why don’t you go take a bath. I’m sure it’s been a very long day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been, and she was desperate to wash away the melancholy and the salty tears. To wash the hurt from her soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she was also loath to move, to leave the warmth and safety of his embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled, gently moving her off his lap. “I’m going to make dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, watching as he stood, already missing his warmth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go take a bath, love,” he said. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her body was heavy as she stood, but she managed to drag it to the bedroom to get her bathrobe, then to the bathroom. And somehow she managed to get it to turn on the hot water, to fill it with her favourite scented oils and bubbles. Managed to undress and slide into the steaming water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was harder, though, to do much more than that. To run her cloth over her arms and legs. To run her fingers through her hair as she massaged the shampoo into her scalp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her arms fell, lavender-scented water splashing over the rim of the tub and onto the floor as she slowly sank beneath the surface.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if she just stayed like this forever? What if she let herself become a wrinkled prune, withering away in the water until she was nothing? Until her heart no longer ached and breathing no longer hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The water was starting to grow cold, but she hardly noticed, staring at her knees as she ran through the conversation over and over and over again. Running through her friend’s words. Wondering where she’d gone wrong. Wondering if there could have been a way to make it right. Wondering if her friend had been right. If she was terrible, if she was poison, if she ruined everything she touched, turned it toxic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she had tried so hard. She had done her best, had tried to grow, to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>better</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Had tried to communicate with her friend when she could. Had tried to explain her own feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And for what? For this? For this day where her friend tore her apart like a child ripping the limbs from a doll. For a hollow ache and a hurting heart and a body too heavy to move?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sniffed, her eyes burning. She was so tired. She wanted to close her eyes and never open them again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A knock sounded at the bathroom door, and it opened slowly, Jihyun stepping into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were taking a while, so I wanted to check on you,” he said, kneeling on the other side of the tub. His eyes were soft, warm, like summer sunshine across a field of flowers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which only made her heart ache more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did she deserve such softness? Did she deserve such kindness? Or would she soil this too?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her lip began shaking again and she lifted her hands to cover her face, unable to bear letting him see her cry over this more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” he breathed, his voice a quiet song, a melody that drew her from her despair. “Hey. Love, look at me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt his fingers wrapping around her wrists, slowly drawing her hands from her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“MC,” he said, his voice firm, but not unkind. “MC, look at me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She peeked up at him, sniffing like a child crying over a broken toy. She felt so stupid, so awful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re thinking about right now,” he said, squeezing her hands. “But this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice cracked as she tried speaking. “But if I had-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he said, his tone firm, unyielding. “MC it </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her bottom lip quivered, and she tried looking away, but he cupped her cheek with one hand, turning her head so she faced him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t perfect, but you have been trying </span>
  <em>
    <span>so hard</span>
  </em>
  <span> to make this friendship work. You did the best that you could. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one that hasn’t handled things well. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one that’s ruined this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hold on her hand tightened. “MC, this </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t hold back the sob in the back of her throat anymore, couldn’t stop as her body shook, again crying, somehow unable to stop, to wrench herself from this misery.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It hurts right now,” he said. “But I promise you will feel better. This will pass.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled then, soft and kind and beautiful. “And I’ll be right beside you the whole time.” He pressed his forehead against hers, kissing the bridge of her nose. “I’ll be with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC closed her eyes, breathing in the warmth of her husband, letting it wrap around her, letting it comfort her, embrace her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he said. “I love you so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” she said, her voice trembling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her eyes to see him smiling at her, and she couldn’t help smiling back, although it almost sent her into another fit of sobs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want some help?” He asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, sniffing. “Yes. Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun helped her to rinse the shampoo from her hair, gently scooping water into his hands and pouring it over her hair, threading his fingers through her soaked locks until the last of the shampoo had washed away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took the cloth from her next, running it down her back, massaging her shoulders until she felt the first bit of tension beginning to leave her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he was taking her hands, helping her to stand and wrapping her in a towel, carrying her from the tepid bathwater and into their bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He helped her dry off her hair, then ran the towel along her arms and down her torso before folding it and setting it to the side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed a kiss to her brow, his voice soft as he spoke. “Get changed and then come out, love. I’ve got dinner ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, waiting until he was gone and the door had closed behind him before she went in search of her favourite pajamas. She pulled them on quickly, no longer wanting to be alone, no longer wanting to wallow in her sadness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to sit in his lap and hear his voice, she wanted to feel his arms around her and she wanted to breathe in the warm smell of </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled on the colourful pajama shorts and the mismatched top, quickly making her way to the bedroom door. But she paused when she saw one of Jihyun’s sweaters poking out from the closet, the pullover sweater the colour of quicksilver that he’d bought on a whim when they’d been wandering through a little town drowning in snow months ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took it from the closet, pulling it over her head, somehow feeling a little lighter, a little better, as the hem fell against her thighs and the sleeves obscured her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was warm, and it smelled like Jihyun, and it was just worn enough that it was the perfect amount of softness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made her way to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway as she caught sight of her husband piling food onto a plate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He spun around, smiling when he saw her. “Are you feeling any better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, although it was halfhearted. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sort</span>
  </em>
  <span> of feeling better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘sort of</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ was better than not-at-all, wasn’t it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifted the plate of food, walking towards her and taking her hand. “Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC blinked as he dragged her from the kitchen. “Jihyun, where are we going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought we could watch a movie,” he said. “One of your favourites while we eat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dinner </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> a movie?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jihyun guided her into the living room, settling her on the couch and draping a blanket over her shoulders before sitting next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he said, kissing her cheek before drawing her into his lap. “I love you so much. And I’m going to stay right here, right beside you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, unsure what to say. Unsure if there was anything she </span>
  <em>
    <span>could</span>
  </em>
  <span> say right now. But the ache in her heart didn’t seem so painful, so prominent, when she was with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re strong enough to get through this,” he said, kissing her again. “And one day you’ll feel better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded again, swallowing back the lump forming in her throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ate quietly, savouring the bites, a little bit of delight trickling into her heart. It was one of her favourite meals, one she’d watched Jihyun struggle to make in the past. One she’d enjoyed no matter what because her husband had tried so hard to perfect it, but this time it tasted different. This time it seemed almost perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was a little sad when she finally set the plate to the side, finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How was it?” He asked, brushing a lock of hair from her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was good,” she said, turning to look at him, ignoring the movie to hold his turquoise gaze. “It was really good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned. “I’m glad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Thank you, Jihyun. For…” She trailed off, a sob rising in her throat again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not just for the food. But for being with her, for staying with her, for giving her the tiniest shred of hope that she didn’t ruin every relationship she had. That she wasn’t poison. That it </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> her fault.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That she was going to be okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His gaze softened, and he kissed her face gently, from the bridge of her nose to the side of her face to the line of her jaw, and then just below it, down her neck just above her pulse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be here, MC,” he said, his words brushing against her skin like the feather of an angel’s wing. “I’ll stay beside you. I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>MC leaned back, snuggling against him as he readjusted the blanket so it wrapped around her fully, repeating those same soft words again and again.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘I love you. I love you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> <em>MC</em></span>
  <span>.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And being with him, being in his arms and hearing his voice, she started to feel like maybe everything would be alright. That she would feel better one day, as long as he was beside her. That she would be able to heal herself and wipe away the ache in her bruised and cracking heart if he stayed by her side while she did it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” she breathed, her fingers curling into the material of his shirt. “I love you so much, Jihyun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And though it was small, she could already feel herself begin to heal.</span>
</p><p> </p>
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